h heimlich



(No Model.) Y 2lSheets-Sheet 1 'J. HEIMLICH.

CAR STARTER AND BRAKE. No. 380,681.

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Patented Apr 10, 1888 j/rl WITNES s (No Model.) v 4 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

y Y J. HEIMLICH.

GAR `m8821288 AND BRAKE.

180.880,881. Patented Apr. 10, 1888,

INVENTUFL 'UNITED STATES PATENT EErcE.

JOHN HEIMLICH, OF OAK HARBOR, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EMERY THIERWEOHTER, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR STARTER AND BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming pari; `01' Letters Patent No. 380,681, :lated April l0, 1888.

(No model.)

.To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that l, JOHN HEIMLICH, of Oak Harbor, in the county of Ottawa and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and Improved Railroad Street-Car Starter; and l do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and complete description thereof.

The nature of my invention relates to the construction and operation of certain devices, as hereinafter set forth, for the purpose of starting a car by utilizing the force employed in arresting the motion thereof for starting it.

That the invention may be fully seen and understood, reference will be had to the following specication and annexed drawings, making part of the same.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the mechanism as applied to a pair of axles and wheels of a street-railway car. Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the mechanism as seen from the opposite side of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents a cross-section of the same on line m x of Fig. 3.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the specification and drawings.

In'the drawings, A represents the axle for the front or one end of the car, and A for the wheels at the rear or opposite end of a streetcar. Extending over and connected with said axles is the reach B, Figs. 1 and 2, which forms a support for f the devices hereinafter described. To the front axle, A, are secured the wheel C and pinion D, as seen in Fig. 4,which, when in operation, alternately engage in the racks of theloop E, Figs. 1 and 8. This rack' loop is adapted and arranged for the wheel C, the rack b on the lower side being constructed for the pinion D. The rack e is formed by a projecting flange from the body part of said loop, as seen in Figs. 2 and 4, and extends over the wheel C from c to d, Figs. 2 and 3. The loop E is guided by the frame F, in which it slides, as seen in Figs. 3 and 4; and it consists ofa double-iianged plate provided with lugs e on the rear side, by means of which the plate, in connection with the bolts G G, attached to the reach B, is held in place close to or suspended to the inner side of said reach, Figs. 1 and 4.

The bolts G G are inserted in the reach on which the lugs e slide. Around the bolts G G, between the upper lugs and reach B, are arranged springs H H, by means of which the frame F is moved up, so that the lower rack, b, of the loop E will be held in gear with the pinion D, Figs. 1 and 4, when the car is to be stopped. l

Lowering the frame F (that is, to set the upper rack in gear with the wheel C) is done by means of the lever l, Figs. 1 and 3. This lever is pivoted to a lng 1projecting up from the reach B, as seen at f. One arm of said lever bears against the lug g, extending laterally out from'the frame F, while to the other arm is attached the rod J, to which the team is hitched for drawing the car.

' The rod K extends from the rear end of the loop E outand over the rear axle, A'. The connection of the loop and rod is so arranged as to allow of the vertical adjustment of the loop when set in gear with the wheel C. 'At the rear the rod K is supported in the bearings h h of the bracket L, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. Said bracket is connected with the reachB in such manner as to retain. at the same time the bracketin ahorizontal position with the axle A. Between the head t' of the rod K and the bearinglt is arranged the spiral spring M. Said spring becomes compressed by the action ofthe loop and pinion D on the lower rack of the loop. The power which is thereby imparted to the spring is held in reserve, to be expended by its reaction when the upper rack of the loop is set in gear with the wheel G in starting the car by the transmitted action of the team.

The operation of the preceding-described mechanism for starting street-railway cars is as follows: vIt will be supposed that the car is in motion and the team is drawing on the rod J, which draws down the loop E, Fig. 1, toits lower position, and the rack b moved out of gear from the pinion D. .Now when the spring is expanded the loop E is in a position to be also moved out of gear from the wheel C, in so far as the end c of the rack a comes to a position at the end of the loop disengaged from the wheel G, as shown. If circumstances require the car to be stopped, then as soon as the team ceases to draw on the rod IOO J, (which rod when the team is drawing holds the lever 'L' against the lug g,) the draft being relieved from the rod J, the resiliency of the spring H will then lift the frame F and set rack b of the loop E in gear with the pinion D, Fig. 3, and the momentum of the moving car will revolve the pinion D and force the loop E backward, thereby compressing the spring M, which by its reaction starts the car, as set forth. The car will stop when the force of the compressed spring is equal to the momentum of the car, and remain at rest so long as the pinion Dis left in gear with the rack b. As soon as the car is to be set in motion again and the team drawing on the rod J, then by means of the lever I the rack b is drawn from out of lengagement with the pinion D, which results in setting the rack a in gear with the wheel C and propelling the car, owing to the reacting force accumulated in the compressed spring M. This reaction ofthe spring will aid 1n starting the car until all the teeth of the rack have passed over and in gear with the wheel C. When the end c of the rack a has been shifted beyond the wheel, which is the case when the spring M has about resumed its normal position, the car is then left for the team for its transit. According to the radii of the Wheel C and pinion D, the power which is exerted by said pinion and accumulated in the compressed spring M is utilized and applied to start the car. If, for instance, the radii of the wheel and pinion are about three to one, then the power which has been developed by the spring will be exerted on a leverage of three times its length in effecting the movement of the car, thus making the apparatus practical in operation, for the purpose de scribed.

Aattached to the axle of the hind wheels, and a What Iclaim as my invention, and desire to 4o secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a car-starter, a loop provided with racks, a rod connected therewith at one end, the opposite end of said rod guided in a bracket 45 spiral spring carried by said rod, arranged to be compressible by the momentum of the car, and when expanding to start said car, in combination with differential gears secured to the front axle, a guidable frame for said loop, and a lever for adjusting said frame, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a car-starter, the reach B, affording pivotal support for the lever I, and means to suspend the frame F, adjusted by said lever, differential gears secured to the front axle, and a rack-loop providedwith a spiral spring and arranged for alternate engagement in said gears, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a car-starter, the combination of the axle A, differential gears C D,secured thereto, a rack-loop held and adjusted in alternate respective relation therewith, and a spiral spring, M, carried by a rod in connection with said loop and guided in a bracket of the hind axle, the spring being interposed between said bracket and loop, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereofI affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J OI-IN HEIMLIGH.

'Witnessesz JOSEPH ORTH, SANooME VELIGUTTE. 

